The
Mend is about two brothers, one is obviously an asshole and the other who isn’t
so obviously an asshole, but is one just the same. It is a largely plotless
movie, that drifts from one thing to the next, as the pair of brothers – who,
evidence suggests don’t like each other very much (then again, evidence also
suggests that neither of them like anyone or anything very much) – but who, for
a brief period of time, are sort of stick together. The film opens at a party
being thrown by Alan (Stephen Plunkett) and his girlfriend Farrah (Mickey
Sumner) for their artsy-fartsy friends. The party goes on for nearly a half
hour of screen time, and drifts from one person to the next. At some point,
Alan’s brother Mat (Josh Lucas) shows up – unannounced - and begins to do what
he’ll do for most of the rest of the movie – mock everyone and everything
around him. He’s an asshole, most people realize it, but no one much says
anything to him. The next day, Alan and Farrah leave on vacation – not aware
that Mat is still in their apartment, and doesn’t plan on leaving. He even
invites his somewhat girlfriend Andrea (Lucy Owen) and her 8-year old son to
stay with him. We’ve already seen these two together – in a series of quick
scenes that has the pair, obviously living together, go from flirty
conversation to sex to her screaming at him to get out, in the plan of 30
seconds or so. Alan eventually returns to the apartment – alone – and not
wanting to talk about it.

Josh
Lucas is an actor I haven’t much liked in the past, but he gives a fine
performance in this film – easily the best of his career. He’s clearly a
misanthrope, and not the kind of lovable one that indie movies often give us –
the ones who say profane and hilarious things, before eventually revealing themselves
to be big softies underneath. Lucas’ Mat is going to learn a lesson in the film
– he isn’t going to find love with Andrea and learn that he has to grow the
fuck up. He’s an asshole, and knows it, but doesn’t much care. Plunkett has the
more difficult role as Alan, who outwardly anyone seems relatively normal, but
reveals himself to be more like Mat than even thinks he is. In that opening
party scene, we gradually come to realize how strained his relationship with
Farrah is – with playful banter, turning more serious as Andrea seems on the
verge of tears at one point, and Alan keeping his obvious anger bottled up. He
told Mat he was using their vacation as an opportunity to propose to Farrah –
but even before they leave, it’s clear it may not go as planned.

The
Mend feels more real than most movies of this sort do – in part because the
supporting characters feel like they have their own lives outside of what we
see in the film. In particular, the two women in the movie – played very well
by Own and Sumner – could well have been the focus of the movie itself, and the
film would have been just as interesting. Both come and go in the film – and
are gone for long stretches – but they are just as complex as the male
characters in the film.

The
Mend is not a great film – it is perhaps a little too obvious for that,
particularly in the final act, which ends up going where we think it will –
complete with an ending for Mat that is probably a little too similar to the
end of one of the great misanthrope’s in movie history in Mike Leigh’s Naked. But
what The Mend does feel like is the debut film of a great director – a director
who is still finding their voice, and crafting something special. It is a
little too obvious that both brothers are assholes in The Mend – and Mat simply
has more confidence in himself to fully embrace his inner jerk, whereas Alan
basically plays it safe and takes the path of least resistance. Of the two, Mat
is perhaps the happier of the two – he has no delusions about himself, but he also
is not filled with self-loathing – two things Alan certainly is. And there is a
reason why each of them is with the woman they are with – both of whom are
probably more like their partners that they want to admit. The Mend is an
interesting one – and announces Magary as a major new talent. He hasn’t made a
great film yet – but based on this one, he’s going to.

About Me

I am an accountant, living in Brantford, ON - and although I am married and have beautiful daughter, I still find time to watch a lot of movies. This blog is mostly reviews of new movies - with other musing thrown in as well.